


Shadows of Death

by Mikey_Jameson



Series: Rising Shadow 2: The Cursed Land [3]
Category: Rising Shadow (CPD)
Genre: Betrayal, F/M, Murder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-01-30 17:06:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21431719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mikey_Jameson/pseuds/Mikey_Jameson
Summary: It's time to finally learn about Katt's past
Relationships: Katt Venus/Topher Darrenvage
Series: Rising Shadow 2: The Cursed Land [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1516073





	1. Death by Daybright

Katt stood in the room alone, which was filled with a static silence. The door opened and a hand touched her shoulder.

“Hey… I figured I’d find you here.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to check on you. How are you feeling?”

“Fine, but you should be resting.”

“And so should you.” 

She smiled, “Relax Toph, I just wanted to check on him.”

He wrapped her in a hug, “He’ll be fine Katherine, I’m sure of it.”

“Of course he will.” She said, smiling at Michael.

His phone chimed and he quickly looked at it, turning it silent. “Looks like we got another case.”

“Can’t it wait?”

“Unfortunately not. Shall we get going then?”

She took one last look at Michael, then nodded. As the two left, Katt looked over as she heard the sound of a dull tone. Topher looked back at her, not noticing who the flatline belonged to.

“Is everything okay Katherine?”

“Yeah. Now then, let’s get going.”

The two left and arrived at a small hiking trail, where they found the body sectioned off with yellow tape. Katt ducked under the tape, walking off the trail.

“Katherine, wait a minute! There’s something I wanted to tell you.” Topher said, trying to catch up with her.

She leaned over and picked something up off the ground. “What is it?”

“Well since Michael can’t really be of help at the moment, it’d make sense you become the Team Leader for the time being.”

Katt flipped through the wallet. “Of course.” She then held up a small card. “Our victim is James Wright.”

“Anything else useful in there?” He said, and picked up a small purse off of the ground.

“Just a business card with a name on it. And you?”

He held up a cellphone, while smiling. “This here belongs to Buck Windflake. Whose name is on the card?

Katt read it over carefully, “Albert Fisher.”

“Well then, I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Of course.”

The two parted ways and Katt continued up the trail, until she found a man running around in circles at the top. 

“Are you Albert?”

“I am. Are you a cop by chance?” He asked.

“What makes you ask?”

“My husband and I were hiking, and I lost him. He’s pretty clumsy and I’m worried something happened to him...”

“Is he James Wright by chance?”

His face lit up, “That’s him! Did you see him?”

Katt sighed, “Well...we found him dead not too long ago.”

“James is...dead?” Albert said, sinking to the ground. “What happened?”

“It looks like he was pushed down the cliff. Any ideas on to who would want to do such a thing?”

He shook his head in dismay, “None at all. He was the kindest man, I don’t get why someone would want him dead.”

“We’ll solve it in no time, don’t worry. For now why don’t you go home and have some time to yourself?”

“Yeah, I should do that. Please let me know when you find them.”

Albert left, while Topher walked into a small recreational area nearby. He found Buck sitting at a picnic table, and sat across from him.

“Well hello there.” Buck said, smiling. “And what can I do for you today?”

Topher put the purse on the table, along with the cellphone. “Now why would a man carry around such a bright purse?”

Buck turned red, and hid his face behind his sandwich. “It’s just supplies I need for hiking.”

“So you need a nail file, a flask and some baby wipes for hiking?”

“Yes?” 

“James Wright, did you know him?” Topher asked, changing the subject.

“Of course, he was one of my best friends."

“Well we found him dead not too long ago. Do you happen to know anything about that?”

Buck stopped eating his sandwich, looking over at Topher in shock. “James is dead?”

“I just said that, yes.”

“No, I don’t know anything about that. Sorry, I wish I could be of more help.”

He stood up, “It’s fine.”

Topher left without another word, and on the way back he spotted Katt. Carefully he walked up towards her, but then stepped on a stick. She turned to look at him, and he smiled.

“Sorry, did I scare you?”

“Not at all. What are you doing here?”

“Well I was on the way back to the body, but I was looking for you as well.” He said.

“And why’s that?” She asked, as he walked beside her.

“Well...I wanted to ask you something.”

“Ask away, I might have an answer.”

“Didn’t I die?”

She was silent and he spoke once more, “Like one second it was dark, and then the next I woke up. It felt like I had just woken up from a nap.”

“Do you not remember Talmadge?”

“I do, what makes you ask?”

“Last I checked, when we first joined you got a folder about all employees. Did you not bother to read mine?” She snapped.

“I did…”

“Then what do you not understand? I brought you back, that’s all there is to it.”

“But why?”

She was silent once more and he understood. “I see. Well thank you for doing that.”

“Of course. After all, we need our Chief.”

“About that…” He started speaking, but was cut off as a crunching sound came from underneath his foot.

He leaned over and picked up a small locket, opening it to look inside. 

“Katherine…”

“What now?” She asked, turning back to look at him.

“Who is this?” He said, handing her the locket.

She looked at it, her usual demeanor falling. “Lukas…”

“You know him?”

“Yes… He used to be my fiancé.”

Before he could speak, she snapped the locket shut and walked away, leaving Topher alone. He noticed a small booklet on the ground, and picked it up.

He sighed to himself, “Lucy…”

Katt walked further up the trail and found Lukas sitting on a bench, a piece of bread in his hand. He tossed a piece of bread into the pond as she approached.

“Bread is bad for ducks.” She said.

He looked over, “Katt… I didn’t expect you to be here.”

“Neither did I. What are you doing here?”

Lukas shrugged, “I don’t know to be honest. I just woke up a few days ago, and I’ve just been trying to live a normal life since then.”

“So you know about revival chips then?”

“Revival what?” He said, confused.

“Never mind. So did you know a man by the name of James Wright?”

He thought for a moment, then nodded. “Ah don’t you remember? He and I went to college together.”

“I must have forgotten. Do you still talk to him?”

“Not really. After we graduated he got married, and we just lost touch after that.”

“Of course you did.” She huffed.

“So how have you been?” He asked.

“I’ve been alright.”

Lukas smiled, “I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”

“You too.” She said, smiling. 

“Well I guess I should get going, it’s pretty late.”

“Yeah…”

He hugged her, “We’ll keep in touch yeah?”

“Of course. Have a good night Lulu.”

He left and Katt sighed, walking further up along the trail.

Meanwhile Topher sat on a bench, looking at his cellphone when a figure began to approach him. He looked up, smiling. “Perfect timing as always Sandra.”

She handed him a slip of paper, and he looked over it. “Well then, I wasn’t expecting that.”

He stood up and wordlessly left, hiking up the trail until he found Katt. She stood near the edge of the cliff, the breeze rustling through her hair.

Topher walked back over to Katt, holding up the paper. “We found our killer. It’s-”

“Lucy Carmichael, I’m aware.” She said, not bothering to look over at him, her back still turned.

“How did you know?”

“Are you sure you read my file? I’ve got a high intelligence skill.”

“I wasn’t aware, sorry. So where is she?”

“Probably in a grave five feet under.” Katt chuckled.

“What do you mean?”

“I arrested her and she died in transit to prison.”

Topher sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I see. Well we should get back to headquarters soon.”

“Go on ahead, I’ll be there in a moment.” She said, clutching a necklace tight in her hand. 

“Alright. I’ll see you there.” He said, and walked away.

She turned the necklace over in her hands, the small blue gem had crack down the middle, and a red glow shone from inside. Katt smiled and put it around her neck. “No more running.”

Suddenly she felt the presence of many watching her, and turned to face them, but found nothing there. She smiled, her grey eyes shining in the moonlight. Azula grinned and you could feel shivers run down your spine as she spoke.

“Did you miss me?”


	2. Now You See Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Like magic

There was a knock on the door and Topher looked over as Michael walked in. 

He smiled and stood up, hugging him. “Michael, you’re back.”

“I am! Have you seen Katt though?”

“I think she went home for a bit, said something about a headache.”

Michael huffed, “I wanted to surprise her.”

Topher’s phone chimed and he looked at it. “Well maybe you can see her in a bit. We just got another case.”

“Shall we get going then?”

“Of course. I just texted Katherine the address, so she’ll probably meet us there.”

Michael smiled, “Well what are we waiting for then?”

The two left and arrived at a small theatre, all the lights were dimmed, and it seemed as if the building was closed. As the two walked in, they were greeted by a man.

“Oh you’re finally here!”

“You’re the one who called?” Topher asked.

“I am! You see, I’m the owner of this establishment. My name is Rex Maxwell.”

Michael smiled, “Did you close the place down after you found the body?”

“I did, but I also instructed the people who were here to stick close by, in case you have any questions for them. Last I checked there was one in the dressing room and another backstage.”

“So you found two then?” Topher curiously asked, to which Rex nodded.

“Well then, we’ll get to working on it right away.” Michael grinned.

The two left and arrived at the dressing rooms, where Cameron was already waiting for them. 

“This is Tanya Brooks, it would seem she was shot.”

“And the other body is backstage.” Topher said, starting to leave. 

Cameron rushed up to him, “Wait a minute Topher!”

He arrived backstage and was left speechless. “Katherine?”

But there was no reply and he looked over at Cameron, then quickly left the area. Michael looked at him as he walked back in, “Is something wrong Chief?”

He slumped to the ground, “Katherine’s...dead.”

“Are you sure?”

“I checked for a pulse, there wasn’t any.” Cameron said, walking into the room. “Topher, I’m sorry…”

He looked up at Michael, ‘We’ll find out who did this.”

“Well for starters you can talk to Rex, the owner.” Cameron said, looking over at Michael.

After Michael left, he looked over at Topher. “I need to have a word with you.”

“What about?”

“I found this.” He said, holding up Topher’s pocket watch. “Care to explain?”

“Where did you find that?”

“Katt had it.”

He shook his head, “Cameron, we work together.”

“And?”

“Do you really think I’d kill her?” He asked.

Cameron was silent and Topher sighed, “I left it at her place. She was going to give it to me today.”

“I see. Do you think you can still work on this case with us?”

“What makes you think I can’t?”

He nodded, “You were closer to Katt than any of us. We can’t have you working if you’re going to be an emotional mess.”

“I understand, but I’ll be fine.” He said, standing up. Topher took the pocket watch from Cameron. 

Meanwhile Michael walked back towards the entrance, Rex smiled as he walked back over. “Oh, how can I help?”

“Did you know Tanya Brooks?”

He nodded, “She was a regular here, yeah.”

“And how about the other woman?”

“No I didn’t. She said she was here to look at a body, and then I found her not too long after.”

“Did you see or hear anything suspicious?”

Rex sighed, “Yeah I heard the gunshot and made everyone leave. I didn’t see anyone who looked out of place though. They were all regulars.”

“So how well did you know Tanya?”

“We went to the same college, and often when she’d come in we’d chat about sports. Our favourite was baseball.”

“I see.” He said, and looked at his phone as it chimed. “Well I should get going.”

“Of course. Do feel free to come back if you have anymore questions.”

He left and returned to Topher, who handed him a small notebook. “This belongs to Crystal Hopkins.”

Michael took it and left, meanwhile Topher looked around for more clues. He picked up a cell phone and looked through it for a few moments, before hastily leaving.

As Michael stepped outside, he was hit in the face by the smell of smoke. He looked over to see a woman leaning against the wall, a large cigarette in her hand.

“Excuse me, but are you Crystal?”

“I am. What do you want?” She snapped.

“We found two bodies inside. I was wondering if you knew Katt Venus or Tanya Brooks.”

“Yeah I knew one of them.”

“Mind telling me who?”

“Tanya.” She said, her face sour.

“Oh do you not like her?”

“We didn’t get along that well.”

“Why’s that?” Michael asked.

Crystal shrugged, “Just some business stuff, nothing for you to worry about.”

“I see. Well were you inside when they heard the gunshot?”

“Nah I was outside smoking.”

“So you’ve been outside this whole time?” He asked.

“That’s what I said.” She said, taking a big puff.

“Of course. Well have a good night.” 

He left and bumped into Topher on the way back in.

“Where are you going in such a rush?” Michael smiled.

“Did you happen to see Sapphire?” Topher hastily asked.

“No, but I can help you look.”

The two left and wandered downtown, until they found Sapphire sitting outside a cafe.

She smiled at them as they sat down, “Hello there. On another case?”

“Yeah. Were you at the club earlier?”

“No, it’s not really my type of place. What makes you ask?”

“We found two bodies.”

“Oh, who were they?”

“Tanya Brooks and…” Topher couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.

“It was Katt…” Michael said.

Sapphire looked over in shock, “Katt is...dead?”

Topher silently nodded and she lowered her head, “What happened?”

Michael spoke up once more, “She was stabbed. Do you know anyone who’d want her dead?”

“I mean yeah I can think of a few, but most of them are already dead.”

“Any specific people in mind?”

She shook her head, “Just Russell Crane.”

The three were quiet, and Michael was the first to speak. “We should get going Topher.”

He nodded and they left, quickly returning back to the theatre. Cameron met them at the door, a worried look on his face. 

“What’s wrong?” Michael asked.

“I found this. The most recent text was five minutes ago.” He said, handing them a phone. “It belongs to-”

“Katherine.” Topher said, looking it over.

As if on cue, a voice spoke from behind them. “You called?”

The three turned to face Katt, and Topher looked at her in shock. 

“Katherine… We need to talk.”

“I’d prefer if we do it alone.” She said, looking at Michael and Cameron. 

“Of course.” He said, and the two went to an empty room.

The two sat down and she leaned on the table, “So what can I help you with?”

“How are you alive? I saw your body.”

“You what?” She said, confused.

“We found your body. How did you…”

“I have many talents.” She smiled. “Now then, shall we get onto business?”

“Like what?”

“Well first off I didn’t know Tanya, that’s for sure.”

Topher looked her up and down, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, thank you for asking. Now then, I should get going.”

“Where to?” He asked.

“Ahh I’ve got other things to do.”

“Katherine wait!”

She turned to look at him and noticed her eyes were a golden colour. “Yes?”

“Uh, nothing.”

After she left, he returned to Michael, dumbfounded. His phone chimed before he could speak, and he looked up at Michael.

“Our killer smokes and has black hair.”

“Well let’s go get our killer.” Michael smiled. 

The two walked back outside where they found Crystal still smoking. 

“So mind telling us why you killed two people?” Michael asked.

“I didn’t so such a thing.”

“All the evidence points to you.”

Crystal groaned, “Fine. Tanya was my competition and by getting rid of her I could easily take the lead.”

“Competition in what exactly?”

“None of your business. Anyways, that little friend of yours got in the way, so I had to get rid of her too.”

“Well that was easy.” Michael said, handcuffing Crystal. As the police car rolled away, Topher’s phone chimed and he looked at it.

“Another case?” Michael asked.

He looked up in time to see Erica Ruvian walking down the street, and then back over to Michael. “It’s Katherine. She said that she’s been at home all day.”

“But what about… Maybe a doppelganger?”

“It’s possible…”

“That’s strange.” Michael said. “We should get back to the headquarters, yeah?”

The two left and spent the rest of the day at the office, until everyone left, leaving Topher all alone. He looked at his phone and then stood up, quickly leaving.

A while later Topher walked up to the house and hesitated in front of the door. He collected himself and knocked on the door.

After a few minutes it opened, and Katt looked at him, a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Toph… What are you doing here so late?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay...

She smiled, “Aw someone’s worried. Get in here, it’s going to rain soon.”

He walked into the house and she went over to the living room, plopping onto the couch.

"There's coffee in the kitchen if you want it."

He nodded and joined Katt a few minutes later, sitting down next to her. He had a cup of coffee in one hand and a donut in the other.

"I don't recall saying you could eat my donuts." She said, flicking him on the arm.

“So you’ve been at home all day?”

“Yeah I wasn’t feeling well and never got a chance to message you.”

“But we found your body…”

“What do you mean?” She asked.

Before he could reply, there was a knock at the door, once and then twice in a set pattern. The door opened and Katt smiled, "Hi Sandra. Come to visit me as well?"

Sandra smiled and walked into the living room with a small tray in her hands. "Actually I came to give you something."

She handed Katt the tray, who carefully pulled off the wrap. "A cake?"

"Pineapple upside down, your favorite. I know it's your birthday tomorrow, so I spent a few months perfecting my recipe."

"Aww you didn't have to."

Sandra smiled as Topher looked over. "It's your birthday tomorrow? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I never really celebrated it after I lost my parents, and honestly it's nothing special really."

“Well then how about tomorrow we all go out to celebrate?” He asked.

“Toph, you don’t have to… Besides, I’d rather not go out and make a big scene.”

Sandra smiled, “How about we have a party here then? After all, you can be comfortable in your own house.”

After a few moments Katt sighed, “Alright.”

Topher smiled and Sandra began chatting with Katt, when suddenly their phones chimed in unison. 

Katt groaned. “We can never catch a break, can we?”

“It’s what makes the job fun.” Topher said, standing up. He held a hand out towards Katt and smiled, “You coming?”

“Gladly.” She said, interlocking her hand with his.


	3. Ace of Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pay the ultimate Pryce

Katt sighed, looking down at the body. There was a tap on her shoulder and she looked over to find Topher, who was holding a cup of coffee.

He smiled, as he handed her the cup. “I made it with two creams, and one scoop of sugar. Just how you like it.”

She took it, confused. “But I never said that? I like it plain.”

“Ahh sorry about that. I must have gotten you confused with someone else.”

“Did I miss anything?” Came a voice, and Katt looked over, smiling.

“Well look who it is. Welcome back sleeping princess.”

He smiled, “Aw somebody is grumpy. Did you miss me?”

“Of course I did.”

Topher looked over at the body, “They were shot.”

“You don’t say.” Katt groaned, taking a sip of her drink. “I couldn’t tell from the blood pouring from their head.”

Michael leaned over and picked up a small bookmark, looking it over. “I found this!”

Topher took it from him as Katt took another sip of coffee. “Ah this belongs to Adelia. Can you go and find her?”

Michael nodded and left, leaving Katt alone with Topher. He then stood a step forward, a crunch coming from underneath his foot. He picked up a cellphone, the screen now cracked. After looking through it for a few moments, he looked over to Katt. 

“Do you want to Mina Boron, or shall I?”

She shrugged, “You can do it. I’ll stick around and look for more clues.”

He left, meanwhile Michael walked into the nearby park, and found Adelia sitting on a blanket. 

As he sat down next to her, she smiled. “Michael, what are you doing here?”

“Ah we found your bookmark.”

“Oh it slipped out earlier! I still can’t figure out what page I left off on…” She huffed.

“Well why was it near a body?”

“Can you give me a name?”

He thought for a moment, and as if on cue, his phone chimed. “Ah Topher says it was Ace Pryce.”

“The streetfighter?”

“That’s the one.” He nodded. “So did you know him?”

“Unfortunately not. I’m not into the violent sports.”

“So what have you been up to all day?”

“Ah just reading this book mostly. It’s quite interesting actually.”

“Oh really, what’s it about?” He asked.

“It’s about time travel and the possibilities of it occurring.”

He smiled, while standing up. “Sounds interesting. Well I’ll leave you to it.”

He left, and Topher walked into a bar nearby. He found Mina sitting by herself, she sighed as he sat down.

“Are you Mina Boron?”

“I am. And you are?”

“Topher Darrenvage.”

“How can I help you?” She asked.

“We found Ace Pryce dead earlier. Did you know him?”

She nodded, taking a sip of her drink. “We went to college together.”

“Oh, what majors were you in?”

“I was in the business industry, and he was in the marketing one. Looks like that didn’t do him any good.”

“What makes you say that?”

“He could have gotten a decent job, but he’d rather go to street fighting.”

“I see. So you two were good friends?” Topher asked.

She nodded, and took a sip of her drink. “Yeah, we were.”

He smiled, “Well then, I’ll let you enjoy the rest of your night.”

Topher returned to Katt, and found Michael waiting for him there.

Katt smiled at him as he walked up, “Guess what I found?”

“More clues?”

She held up a small notebook, “This belongs to Natalia Allegretto. I’ll go have a chat with her.”

After she left, Michael walked up to Topher, handing him a small briefcase. After looking it over, Topher handed it back to him. “That belongs to Jack Soto.”

Michael left and Topher reached into his pocket, pulling out a small flash drive. He looked at it, sighing. “Ruvian.”

Katt walked into bank, where Natalia was sitting on a bench nearby. 

“Natalia?”

She looked up at her, smiling. “I am.”

“Did you know Ace?”

“Pryce?” She said, taking a bite of her sandwich. “I do. What makes you ask?”

“We found his body earlier. Do you happen to know anything about that?”

She shook her head, “Not at all. I was just chatting with him earlier.”

“Oh were you?”

“Yeah, we went out to eat. It’s been a while since we met up, so we decided to grab some brunch.”

“So you two were close?” Katt asked.

“Yeah! We were the best of friends.”

“Were?”

“Are, I meant. Sorry, I’m a bit tired at the moment.” 

“I see. Well make sure you take care of yourself.” Katt said, and promptly left.

On the way back, Katt bumped into Michael and smiled. 

“Where are you headed?”

He held up a sketchbook, “Well from the drawings in this book, I’d say they’re probably at the park.”

The two arrived at the park, and found Jack sitting on a bench by himself. Michael smiled, handing him the sketchbook.

“Is this yours?”

Jack looked over at the two, slinking back a bit as he saw Katt. “Yes, where did you find it?”

“We found it near a body.”

“Are you sure it’s not her trying to frame me again?” He said, pointing over at Katt.

Michael nodded, “I’m sure. Now then, did you know Ace Pryce?”

“No, the name doesn’t sound familiar.”

“That’s odd, it would seem he was pretty well known around here.”

“I don’t pay attention to the little things.” He huffed. “Now then, if you don’t mind, I’ve got work to do.”

The two took the hint and left Jack alone, as they walked away, Katt huffed.

“Something wrong?” Michael asked, looking over at her.

She nodded, not saying a word. 

The two walked back in silence, but when they arrived, found that Topher was nowhere to be seen.

Meanwhile Topher walked up to an office, and over to the reception desk.

“Hello, is Erica Ruvian in today?”

“She is not un-” The receptionist said, but was quickly cut off. 

A woman walked up beside him, “I can take you to her.”

“And you are?”

She shrugged, “My name is Lynn. Now then, shall we get going?”

The two left and arrived to a small office. Topher sat down on the couch and Lynn smiled, “I’ll go get her.”

She walked into another section and a few moments later, Erica walked out. 

“And what brings you here today?” She smiled.

He held up the flash drive, “You were at the theater yesterday, weren’t you?”

“Of course not, I was busy working.”

“Well then, tell me why Katherine would have this.” He smiled.

“I haven’t the faintest idea.”

“I was talking to Katherine and when she left, she just so happened to drop this.”

“And you think I know something about that?” She huffed. “I’m very busy, if you don’t mind.”

“Well then, I’ll get to the point. Ace Pryce, did you know him?”

“I do.” She said.

“Any reason you’d want him dead?”

“Of course not.”

He stood up, and walked over to her. “So gold eyes, huh? That’s strange, because Katherine doesn’t have that eye colour.”

Erica looked up at him, “Excuse me?”

Topher smiled, handing her back the flash drive. “Don’t mess with my team, or else.”

She was left speechless, and Topher left the office without another word. 

He returned back to team, to find Katt and Michael waiting for them. She turned and smiled at him, a paper in her hands.

“What’s that?”

“Sandra just brought it to me.”

He took the paper and looked it over, “Our killer is a woman, who works with pastries.”

The three left and entered a small bakery, Michael impatiently ringing the bell in the front.

After a few moments, Mina walked up to the front, frowning. 

“Can I help you?” She said, then noticed Katt, smiling. “Oh Katt, it’s good to see you!”

Katt huffed, “So why did you kill Ace?”

“I’d never do such a thing.”

“Sure. The clues seem to say otherwise.”

Mina’s face dropped and she sighed, “I believe I told you he was in the marketing major. You see we opened this bakery together.”

“And what does that have to do with this?”

“After a year or two, he changed. He stole funds that were meant for the bakery and spent it on gambling and drugs.”

“Why didn’t you put a stop to it?”

“Oh I did.” She said, smiling. “You see this past week he stole more money again, so I decided it was time to end it.”

Topher took a step forward and handcuffed Mina, while Katt closed down the bakery.

After the cop car pulled away, the three parted ways. 

A while later, there was a knock at the door and Katt walked over to it, opening it up. Outside stood Topher and Michael, and Sandra peeked around Katt. 

“I was wondering when you two would should up.” Sandra chuckled.

They made their way into the house and the time seemed to fly, as the four played games in between drinks. 

The night began to wind down and Sandra left, leaving only the three.

Michael chuckled, who was laying on the floor, after having one too many drinks. “You know what Katt?”

“Hmm?” Katt said, turning her attention away from the TV momentarily.

“I just got out of a coma not too long ago and yet I’m already wasted. Is that a new record for me?” He said, chuckling. 

“I wouldn’t really call it an achievement.”

“Oh that reminds me! I got you a gift but I left it at the office earlier. Want me to go get it?” He said, quickly sitting up.

“How about you wait until you’re sober?”

Topher walked out of the kitchen and looked at Michael laying on the ground. “I’ve seen weirder things.”

He then headed to the living room and sat down next to Katt on the couch, taking a bite of cake as he spoke. “This cake is great, Sandra did amazing on it.”

She looked over, “Did I say you could have a slice of my cake?”

“Uh...I, sorry.”

“I’m messing with you, don’t worry. Besides I can’t eat it all by myself.”

The two sat in silence as Michael fell asleep on the ground. Eventually Katt fell asleep on Topher’s shoulder, leaving him the only one awake.

Quietly he stood up and laid Katt down on the couch. He walked over to Michael, quietly waking him and the two got ready to leave.

As Michael left, Topher gently put a blanket over Katt. He then placed a tiny box onto the table, with a note underneath it.

Topher smiled, kissing Katt on the forehead. “Goodnight love.”


	4. Can't Turn Your Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not even for a second

Michael tilted back in the chair while groaning, “Remind me to never drink that much again.”

“Noted.” Topher said, looking up from his laptop. “Don’t do that, you can get hurt.”

“You’re not my dad.” He said, then proceeded to fall down.

“I told you.”

“You okay Mikey?” Came a voice, and a hand was held out towards him.

“Well good morning Katt! Did you have fun last night?” He said, grabbing her hand.

“I did, thanks. Although someone shouldn’t have had too many drinks.” She said, playfully smacking his arm.

“Ow, okay I won’t drink anymore.”

“Good.” 

“Oh that reminds me! Let me go get your present!” He stood up and left the room.

Katt plopped down in a chair and Topher smiled. “Did you see the note I left?”

“I did, and I also saw the box.”

Before Topher could speak, Michael walked back into the room, a box in his hands.

“Happy-”

But he was cut off as Sandra burst into the room, out of breath.

“We’ve got another case. Turns out there was an incident at a local concert.”

Katt stood up, “Well then, we should get going.”

“But my present…” Michael huffed.

The three arrived at a concert hall, the entrance barricaded off with yellow tape. 

Sandra was on the other side, and smiled as the three walked up.

“I found this.” She said, tossing Michael a small rubber ball. “That belongs to Abby Frail.”

He nodded and left, leaving the others alone. After a few moments, Katt picked up a small book the ground, looking it over. 

After a few minutes, she left, meanwhile Michael walked into a small bookstore. 

He browsed the aisles until he found a girl sitting on the floor, her nose buried in a book. 

“Abby Frail?” He asked.

“That’s me!” She smiled, looking up.

He sat down next to her, “If you don’t mind me asking… Shouldn’t you be dead?”

“I what?”

“It’s nothing. So have you been to any good concerts lately?”

She nodded, returning back to her book. “One, but it was pretty busy so I left early.”

“Was it the one from today?”

“How did you know?”

“I found your toy there.” He said, placing it next to him on the floor.

“Oh yeah. That thing fell out of my bag, but I didn’t bother to look for it. I can get another one anyways.”

“I see.” He said, standing up. “Well have a good day.”

“You too!”

Katt walked up to the cafe, and tossed the book onto the table. 

Erica looked over from her laptop, “Nice to see you too.”

“I didn’t take you for the concert-going type.”

“Of course I’m not, besides I’ve got better things to do than waste my time.”

“Then why was this at the concert?”

Erica shrugged, “I don’t know. Why are you so angry?”

“I’m tired of you showing up. It seems you’re around every case, and it’s getting really annoying.”

“Well excuse me if I have work to be done.”

“That doesn’t mean you need to stick your nose in my business. I told you I’m not interested.”

Erica chuckled, “‘Is that why you think I’m always around?”

“Of course it is.”

“Katt, if that was the reason then I’d be bothering you much more. Now then if you don’t mind, I should get back to work.”

“Yeah whatever.” She huffed, and stormed away. 

As she returned, Michael looked up at her, and held up an oddly familiar item. 

“Katt, what’s this?”

“It’s my dagger you idiot.” She said, snatching it from him.

“Then why was it in Lana Graves’ arm?”

“Who?”

He motioned over to the body, “Did you know her?”

“No.”

“And how can I believe you?”

“Are you trying to insinuate something?” She huffed.

“You’ve killed other people before. What’s stopping you from killing more?”

She was silent and he smiled, “You killed her didn’t you?”

Katt flung the knife and it lodged into a tree nearby. Topher took a step forward, “How about we all calm down?”

She whipped around and snapped at him, “Stay out of it Darrenvage!”

Without another word she snatched up a slip of paper off the ground and stormed off once more. 

Michael started to head after her, but Topher put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. “Just give her some time. After all, you did upset her.”

Meanwhile Katt walked into the local bar, and found Humphrey at the bar top, drink in hand. 

She sat down next to him and he grinned, “Well hello there princess. Come back for that date?”

“As if.” She tossed the note onto the table. “You knew Lana Graves?”

“Such a fine lady she was. If only she was interested in me, we could have had some fun... if you know what I mean.” He grinned.

“Whatever. So you were at the concert then?”

“I was spectating the ladies of course.”

“You really are disgusting.” She snapped, and stood up.

He stood up alongside her and grabbed her by the waist. “How about you stay and have a few drinks?”

“No thanks.”

He moved his hand downwards and without hesitation she pulled her leg up, kneeing him in the crotch. As he doubled over in pain and fell to the ground, she smiled while leaning over him.

“Take the hint.”

She left and as she passed the nearby coffee shop, she heard someone call her name. Katt turned around and came face to face with Lukas, who stood there smiling.

“I thought I saw you! Want to grab some coffee?”

She smiled, “Sure, but I do have to get going.”

The two walked in and grabbed a small table, Lukas was the first to speak. “So what are you doing here?”

“My job. And you?”

“Ah I just came from the concert. Did you go?”

She shook her head, taking a sip of her coffee. He smiled, “Ah right I forgot you weren’t a fan of crowded places.”

“So did you know someone by the name of Lana Graves?”

He nodded, “Yeah! Her and I were supposed to meet up at the concert, but I guess she never came.”

“Well maybe it’s because she’s dead.”

“Oh... Yeah that would be a good reason. So are you doing anything after this?” He smiled.

Katt sighed, looking him in the eyes. “No, why?”

“Do you want to grab some dinner?”

“Lukas… It’s been years since we last talked.”

“Yeah?”

“I know you’re trying to be friendly and all, but what we once had is gone.”

“So there’s someone else?” He asked.

She nodded and he sighed, “I kind of already knew, but it’s a relief to know that.”

“How so?”

“You’re happy, and that’s all I ever wanted for you.” He smiled. “I guess you should get going?”

“Yeah. Have a good night.”

“You too.”

She left and returned to Topher, but Michael was nowhere to be seen. There was a rustle from behind them and Katt turned around to find Sandra.

“How do you always manage to show up at the right time?” Topher smiled.

Sandra shrugged, “I guess it’s a talent of mine.”

Katt took the paper, looking it over. After a few moments, she held it out to Topher and he read it.

“So our killer is a female and has black hair. I guess we should get going then.”

The two left and returned to the bookstore, where Abby still sat. 

She looked up at the two, “Oh, am I in your way?”

Topher shook his head, “No, actually we’re here for answers.”

“Well I’m sure you can find what you’re looking for if you ask the lady at the front.”

“Not those kind of answers.” Katt said, crouching down to Abby’s level. “So Lana Graves.”

“What about her?”

“Why did you kill her?”

She sighed, closing the book. “It was either that or die.”

“And who said that?”

“If I recall correctly, the Shadow, I think it was?”

Katt recoiled a bit and Topher stepped forward, “What do you know about them?”

“Not much. I heard they like to get rid of people who are in their way.”

“So what did Lana do?” Katt asked.

“Ah I was told she stole some valuable information, not sure what it was though.”

Without another word, Katt stood Abby up and handcuffed her. 

As the police car rolled away, Topher looked over at Katt, smiling. “So do you like my present?”

She grabbed the necklace, “I do, thank you.”

Topher reached for her hand and she smiled, the two interlocking hands. Meanwhile Michael entered his office, holding the present meant for Katt. He sighed, and tucked it away on a shelf.

“So much for family…”


	5. Conquest of the East

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Travel east

Topher and Katt arrived at an amusement park, where they found Michael waiting for them. He was quiet, but glanced over at Katt momentarily. An employee came up to them and lead them towards the back of a small building, where a body lay mangled. 

“What happened?” Topher said, looking over at the employee.

They shrugged, “We found it in the maintenance room. Someone tossed it into the gears.”

“So they were crushed to death.” Katt said, interjecting.

Topher nodded, “That’s what I was thinking. Well thank you for your help.”

The employee left, leaving the three alone. Katt picked up a small wallet off the ground, and Topher dug through a bag.

After a few moments, Michael left and Katt held up a small ID. “Our victim was Nico Ratech.”

“Any idea on who he was?”

Katt shook her head and Topher sighed, “Well at least this is useful.”

“What did you find?”

He held up a small card, “Markus Karam. Do you know him?”

“Of course, he and I used to work back in SOMBRA.”

“Well then, I’ll go have a chat with him.”

“Mind if I tag along?” She asked.

He smiled, “Of course I don’t mind.”

The two left and arrived at a small building, after some searching they found Markus in his office.

He smiled at the two, “Well this is a nice surprise. What brings you here?”

“Did you know Nico Ratech?” Topher asked.

“Ahh I did. He was a writer around here, but had a reputation for his books being awful.”

“So did you know him personally?”

“No, not personally. What makes you ask?”

Katt took a step forwards, “Well we found him dead at the amusement park nearby.”

Markus frowned, “I haven’t been there in months, sorry. Work has kept me busy as of late.”

“I see. We’ll let you get back to it then.” Topher said, smiling.

They left and returned to the scene where Topher picked up a small mug off of the ground. He held it out, “Look familiar?”

Katt grimaced, and he chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll go with you.”

The two arrived at a club, where they found Humprey inside, sitting by himself. He smiled at Katt as she walked over, “Well hello again. Come back for round two?”

“Where were you earlier?”

He thought for a moment, “Well first I went to a strip club, and let me tell you, I had one hell of a time there. After that I went to the amusement park nearby, and I then came here.”

“So did you know Nico Ratech?” 

“Of course not. I only like to talk to ladies, especially the pretty ones.” He said, winking at Katt.

“Ha, in your dreams.”

“Well if you hadn’t crushed my precious jewels yesterday, we could have had some real fun.”

Topher took a step forward, clearing his throat. “I’m afraid we’re getting a bit off track.”

“And who are you?” Humphrey said, looking him up and down. “Are you her man? I hate to break it to you, but you’ve got nothing on me. I’m clearly the superior.”

“Of course, but we should get going. Right Katherine?” 

She nodded and Humphrey winked at her as she left. 

Topher groaned as they walked outside, “God that guy gets on my nerves.”

“He’s not hitting on you, last I checked.”

“Good point.” He said, chuckling. “How about after we solve this, we blow off some steam?”

“And what do you suggest?”

“We can always go on some rides.”

She smiled, “I’d love that.”

Meanwhile, Michael walked up to a young man, who was holding a camera.

“Are you Jordan Williams?”

“I am. What makes you ask?”

“We found a body at the amusement park.”

“Really? I was just there earlier and didn’t notice anything strange.”

“What were you doing there?” Michael asked.

He held up his camera, “I’m a photographer. I’ve been taking pictures for my latest exhibit.”

“Oh, what is it about?”

“Just people enjoying their lives. I like to capture human emotions, as a picture can tell a story.”

“That’s deep.”

“I know! That’s why I enjoy taking pictures. I was just on my way to the park.”

“I see. Well I guess you should get going then.”

Jordan nodded and left, leaving Michael all alone. He sighed and Topher looked at him as he walked back over. 

“Perfect timing. Guess what I just found?” He said, holding up a small watch.

“That’s mine…”

“And we found it in the gear room. So you have some explaining to do.”

“I don’t know how it got there, honestly.” He said, shaking his head.

“You aren’t working with the MGB again, are you?”

“Of course not!”

“Are you sure?” Topher asked, looking him up and down.

“Positive. Where is Katt by the way?”

“You’re changing the subject.”

“I just want to talk with her.”

“About what exactly?” Topher curiously asked.

“What happened yesterday… I wanted to apologize for what I said.”

“Well she went off to check the security tapes, so I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”

Michael sighed, picking up a small note off of the ground.

“Russell Crane…” He worriedly looked over at Topher. “Katt… We need to go.”

Meanwhile Katt spun around in the chair and typed away at a laptop, pulling up the security feed from earlier.

She stared intensely at the screen, and the lights flickered momentarily. 

There was a sound behind her, but before she could turn around, an arm wrapped around her throat.

“Not so fast.”

She snapped, “What are you doing here?”

Russell smiled, “Looking for you of course.”

“And why’s that?”

“You should know better than to snoop around.”

“Funny coming from you. Now let me go.” She huffed.

“How about no?” I don’t trust you, plain and simple.”

“I wonder why.” Her nails began digging into his skin.

“Is someone being difficult? I’m sure we can fix that real fast.”

Before she could reply, there was a sharp pain in her neck for a few moments.

A few moments later, Michael rushed in, with Topher in tow, but Katt and Russell were nowhere to be found.

Topher headed over to the desk, sighing. “The files were corrupted.”

“Of course they were.” Michael sighed.

“Why would you think otherwise McKenzie?” Came a voice, and the two looked over to find Katt sitting in a chair.

“Katt… you’re okay.”

“Excuse me?”

“We found a note that belonged to Russell, and I thought…”

She shook her head, “Haven’t seen him. If I did, he would have been a dead man by now.”

Topher chuckled as his phone chimed, “I swear, Sandra must be a psychic of some sorts.”

He tossed the phone over to Katt, sighing. “Our killer is a male with blond hair. Sound familiar?”

“Crane…” She huffed.

“You called?” Came a voice, and the three turned to face Russell.

“How did you get here?” Michael asked.

“Oh I was just passing by. Did you need something?”

“So you killed....uh, who was it again?”

Topher took a step forward, “Nico Ratech, did you know him?”

“Of course I did. He was a pesky little thing.”

Katt snapped, “Why did you do it?”

“Ah he was planning on making a book based around me. I know his books are always set for failure, so I couldn’t have that image of me being published. I bet you were expecting me to say something along the lines of it being the work of the Shadow.”

“You know something about them, don’t you?” Topher curiously asked.

“Of course I do. After all I was the one to give the command that they kill Katherine’s parents.”

“Well then, I suppose we’ll have to arrest you.” Topher said, producing a pair of handcuffs. 

Katt smiled and the lights went out, there was a chuckle throughout the room. A few moments later they flickered back on, and Russell’s body lady on the ground, a cut across his neck.

Topher took a few steps back in shock, “What just…”

Michael looked over towards Katt, but she was gone. There was an eerie silence, quickly interrupted by the sound of their phones chiming.

“Well then, shall we get going?” Topher said, looking over at Michael.

The two left, not noticing a figure following them in the shadows...always watching, always there...


	6. Going Out With a Bang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An explosive end

The two arrived at a small library, and ducked under the yellow tape at the entrance. As they walked in, a woman came up to them, frantic. 

“Are you the police?”

Topher nodded, “We heard you found a body. Where is it?”

She led them to a small basement under the library, where a body lay crushed underneath an elevator.

“The elevator wasn’t working so we came down here to check it.”

“Do you think this could have been an accident?”

She shook her head, “No, the doors close automatically.”

“I see. We can take it from here.” Topher smiled.

She left and Michael sighed, picking up a notepad off the ground. “That’s got to be one horrible way to go.”

“Of course.” He said, looking over at the body. “I actually recognize this person.”

“Oh, who is it?”

“Alex Timponi. He was an excellent musician, I went to quite a few of his shows.”

“What did he play?” Michael asked.

“Drums.” He looked over as Michael flipped through the book. “What did you find?”

“Ah just a notebook. Looks like it belongs to someone named Jacob Merik.”

“Well I guess you’ll be leaving then.”

Michael nodded and promptly left. After looking around for a few minutes, Topher picked up a small string and looked it over, then left.

A few moments later, Michael walked up to the second floor of the library, where he found a man sitting by himself.

“Excuse me. Are you Jacob Merik?”

He looked up, “I am, but who told you?”

“Ah I asked the librarian downstairs. She said you were a regular and can be found up here.”

“I see. Well what do you want?”

“We found a body in the basement. Did you know Alex Timponi?”

“You mean the famous musician?” He asked. “No, but I wish I did.”

“Ahh well unfortunately you missed your chance. He’s the one we found dead.”

“That’s a shame. I just booked tickets to his next show too.”

“So I take it you were a fan?” Michael asked.

“Oh yeah. I wanted to be a musician as well but some health issues got in the way.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, my mother just got sick for some time. Now that she’s better I was thinking about pursuing music again.”

“That sounds like a great idea.” Michael smiled. “I should get going. Enjoy your day, and best of luck to you.”

Meanwhile, Topher walked up to a house where a man was fiddling with a guitar in the garage. 

“Eli Warren?”

“Yeah that’s me.” He huffed.

“You knew Alex Timponi, right?”

“Of course I did, he and I were bandmates.”

“Well then did you two get along well?” Topher asked.

Eli shrugged, “Yes and no. Sometimes we had little fights, but we got over it.”

“So nothing to the point of killing him?”

“I’d never. He was my best buddy.”

“Was?”

“Yeah, he went solo.” Eli sighed. “After that we kind of stopped talking. How is he doing these days?”

“It would seem that he’s dead. I don’t suppose you were near the library earlier?”

“Nah, reading is for nerds.” Eli chuckled, plucking one of the guitar strings. “Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got to practice.”

Topher left without another word and returned to the library, but Michael was nowhere in sight. After searching the room, he picked up a small envelope and opened it.

After reading the letter, he folded it back up and walked away. He arrived at a small computer repair shop, a bell ringing as he walked in. After a few moments, a woman walked out, smiling at him.

“Oh what can I help you with today?” She asked.

“Are you Julie Lazuki?”

“That I am! What brings you in today?”

“Did you know Alex Timponi by chance?”

She nodded, “I did.”

“Unfortunately we found him dead earlier. How did you know him?”

“Ah he was a regular. He enjoyed collecting retro computers and I’d fix them up for him.” She smiled. “I was wondering if he was coming in today, as I just finished fixing up another.”

“So you had no grudges against him?”

“Of course not! He was a wonderful man, it’s a shame he’s not with us anymore.”

The bell to the shop rang as another person walked in, and she smiled. “I’m sorry but I should get back to work.”

“I understand. Have a good day.”

He left and on the way back, saw Michael on the other side of the street. 

Topher joined him, “So where are you heading to?”

Michael jumped a bit, not realizing Topher had been there. “Jeez, don’t scare me like that. I was looking for Lulu Grandiere.”

“The famous pianist, what for?”

“I found a copy of her sheet music.”

Topher led the way to a small music studio, where they found Lulu sitting down at a piano with a child. 

“Lulu?” 

She smiled, “Yes, that’s me.”

“Can we have a quick talk?” Michael asked.

“Sure thing.”

The three went into another room and Lulu leaned against the wall, “What can I help you with?’

“You knew Alex Timponi?” 

“Of course I did. He and I did a few performances together, and I also happened to write him some music as well.”

“So you two were good friends?” Michael asked, to which she nodded.

“Oh yeah, we were really close.”

“Well we found him dead at the library. Would you happen to know anything about that?”

Her face dropped, “No, sorry. What happened?”

“He was crushed by an elevator.”

“Oh… that’s unfortunate. I’m sorry but I should get back to lessons.”

The three parted ways, and the two returned to the basement. After a few moments, Michael tossed a wallet over at Topher, which hit him in the forehead.

“Oww. Do you mind?”

“Sorry, my bad. I found that though.”

Topher looked through the wallet and sighed, “I’ll be back in a bit.”

He left and found himself at a small art studio. As he walked in, a bucket of pain fell down in the middle of the room, and a woman groaned.

Topher walked over and grabbed a rag, helping her clean it up.

She smiled, “Thanks very much. And you are?”

“Topher Darrenvage.”

“Rebecca Widan, it’s nice to meet you.” She said, holding out a hand.

He shook it, “Well actually I was looking for you.”

“Oh, what for?”

“Did you know Alex Timponi?”

She thought for a moment, then shook her head. “No, sorry. Am I supposed to know him?”

“It’s fine.” He motioned over towards a book. “So you went to the library earlier?”

“Yeah, I like to read in my free time.”

“I see. Well did you happen to visit the basement?”

“Last I recall that area is off limits to everyone, except for employees of course.”

“And how do you happen to know that?”

She smiled, “Earlier when I was there I heard someone asking the staff about it.”

“Did you manage to get a look at who they were?” He asked.

“Unfortunately not, I was leaving by then.” She said, wiping up the last bit of paint. “Thanks for your help.”

“Of course. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

He left and walked down the street, but was stopped as a pair of hands wrapped around his waist.

There was a chuckle, and a voice spoke from behind him, “Hi Toph.”

“Katherine… What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean?” She said, tilting her head.

Topher turned to face her, and held up her chin, looking her in the eyes. “Well hello again. I knew something sounded off.”

“What are you doing?”

“Nice try Ruvian. I thought I told you to stop meddling with my team.”

Her demeanor changed, and she sighed. “How did you know?”

“Your hair color isn't blonde, and you don’t sound like Katherine in the slightest.”

Erica sighed, “Fine, you got me.”

“Well then, while you’re here, did you know Alex Timponi?”

“No, the name doesn’t ring a bell. What makes you ask?”

“We found his body earlier.”

“I see. Well I wish I could be of help.”

“Actually you can.” Topher said, smiling. “How do you do that?”

“SOMBRA experimented on thousands of children. Now then, I should get going.”

Erica left and Topher sighed, a few moments later Michael joined him once more.

He held out a small piece of paper towards Topher, smiling. “Guess who swung by?”

He took the paper, reading it over. 

“So our killer is a male who is musically talented?”

Michael nodded and the two left, arriving at a small restaurant. They headed backstage where they found Eli Warren tuning his guitar.

“Nice to see you again Eli.” Topher smiled.

“Wish I could say the same. Come to see my show?”

“Actually quite the opposite. So why did you kill Alex?”

Eli sighed, “He betrayed me.”

“Do tell.”

“After he left, he made up rumours about me. People didn’t want to hear my play anymore, and it took me years to clear up my reputation.”

“Well you only tarnished it further by killing him.”

Before they could handcuff Eli, he slumped over his guitar. A small note fluttered from the ceiling, and Michael grabbed it.

“Atropa belladonna… What’s that?” He said, confused.

“Nightshade. Meaning someone killed him.” Topher sighed.

“But why would they kill him?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. We should get going.”

The two left and returned to headquarters, both parting their separate ways. Topher walked into his office, plopping down into the chair. He sighed and leaned back, noticing a figure in the darkness behind him. Before he could react, a pair of arms tightly wrapped around his throat, and a voice whispered in his ear. 

“Miss me?”


	7. A Shadow of a Doubt Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to end this

Without another moment, the figure yanked the chair down, and Topher fell to the floor.

“Katherine…”

“So you’re Darrenvage. I’ve heard so much about you.” She smiled.

Topher breathed a sigh of relief, running a hand through Katt’s hair as she leaned over him. “If you’re trying to scare me, you’re doing an awful job of it.”

“You never answered my question.”

“Of course I missed you.” He smiled.

Before she could speak, the door opened and Michael walked in. He stood still for a few moments, then sighed. ”I heard a loud noise and came to check. I’ll leave you two to it.”

Katt chuckled, “Relax McKenzie, it’s nothing like that.”

“Yeah sure.” He said, holding a hand out toward Topher. “We got another case.”

Topher took Michael’s hand, looking over at Katt as she sat up, “I’m glad you’re back Katherine.”

“Me too. Now then, we’ve got a case to solve.”

The three arrived at a small floral garden, where Michael rushed ahead of the two. They found the body sectioned off in a greenhouse nearby, Sandra looked up at him as they walked in.

She motioned over to a pair of gardening shears. “It would seem that they were impaled, and then sectioned into pieces.”

“And our victim is Lukas Leroux, from the looks of it.” Katt huffed, while picking up a small card off of the ground. She flipped it over, looking at the name inscribed on the front, then grumbled.

She left without another word, and Topher glanced at her as she left. Michael then picked up a wallet and left moments later.

Katt hesitantly walked into the bar once more, and sat down at the bar top. A pair of arms wrapped around her waist, and she could smell alcohol on Humphrey’s breath. 

“I was wondering when you’d show up darling.”

She grimaced and shrugged him off. “Yes well, if you don’t mind, I’ve got a few questions for you.”

“I don’t mind at all, as long as I get to spend time with you.”

“Oh that boy who used to be your fiancé? I admit, I was a bit jealous of him.”

“How close were you two?”

“Not at all. I’ve seen him around lately, and had a chat with him once or twice. Speaking of, did you come here alone?”

“Of course I did. What makes you ask?”

“No reason.” He smiled, holding out a glass. “Here, it’s for you.”

She took it from him, and he sat down next to her, placing his glass down on the counter. “If I drink this will you leave me alone for once?”

He nodded and she sighed, taking a few sips from the cup. “So did you go to any floral gardens lately?”

“Nah, I’ve got horrible allergies to pollen.”

“I see.” She stood up. “Well then, I think I’ll be going now.”

He stood up and grabbed her wrist at the room began to sway. Humphrey held her tightly towards him, “I think not.”

“You… I should have known better.”

Before he could speak, there was a tap on Humphrey’s shoulder. He turned around to find Topher, who smiled at him. “You do realize poisoning a police officer can land you up to ten years in jail? That is, in addition to whatever you were planning.”

“I uh…” Humphrey stuttered. “It’s not what it looks like.”

Topher held out a hand and Humphrey sighed, letting go of Katt.

Without another word the two walked out of the bar, and he sat Katt down on the sidewalk, handing her a glass of water. 

Katt smiled at him as he sat down next to her, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Meanwhile Michael walked up to a small train station, where he found Cameron sitting on a bench outside.

“Ah Michael, what are you doing here?”

“Looking for you actually. I’m sure you heard about the new case?”

Cameron shook his head, “I didn’t, sorry. I just got back from visiting family.”

“Oh, where did you go?”

“Up north. I was visiting my father, he fell down with something recently.”

“Is he okay?” Michael asked, concerned.

“Thankfully yeah. Just a nasty health scare. So who died this case?”

“Lukas Leroux, did you know him?”

Cameron nodded, “I did. He was very kind.”

“So you two were good friends?”

“Yeah, we were.” He stood up from the bench. “Well I should get home, and then I’ll help you guys out.”

“Of course, see you soon!”

The two parted ways, and Michael left, heading for the gardens once more. 

As he walked in, Topher motioned him off to the side, holding up a small handkerchief. 

“Again, seriously?”

Michael proceeded to hold up Topher’s notebook. “Looks like we both have some explaining to do.”

“Well you knew Lucas, yes?”

“Of course, after all you did too.” Michael smirked. “So when did you come here?”

Topher blushed a bit, “I wanted to get Katherine some flowers… And you?”

“I like taking pictures of them from time to time.”

“I didn’t take you for that kind of guy.” Topher chuckled.

“You’re changing the topic. I bet you were jealous of Lukas.”

“Not in the slightest. I can’t imagine you were jealous of him.”

Michael was silent and Topher was stunned, “Seriously?”

“I mean Katt doesn’t really talk to me like she does Lukas. I’ve known her for years though...and yet she’s more open to him than me.”

Topher sighed, “Well maybe if you didn’t accuse her every day of killing someone, I’m sure she’d open up to you.”

Michael smiled, “Yeah. So what flowers were you looking for exactly?”

Meanwhile Katt walked up to an office, knocking on the door. She left herself in and Erica looked over from the couch, smiling at her. 

“What a nice surprise. Take a seat.”

Katt shook her head, “No thanks, I’m fine.”

“It wasn’t a question.” Erica said, looking over at her. After a few moments, Katt sat down next to her on the couch, and Erica began typing away once more.

“So what brings you here?”

“Did you know Lukas Leroux?”

She nodded, “I do. After all he used to work for me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“He left a couple years ago, since he was having some health issues.”

“I see. So you had no grudges against him?” Katt asked.

“Of course not. He was a lovely man, and a delight to work with.” She said, looking over at Katt.

Before Katt could speak, Erica grabbed her chin and held it up slightly. “Ketamine. DId someone try and drug you?”

Katt shrugged her off, and stood up. “I’m fine. Last I checked it was none of your business.”

“I guess not. Well, have a good day.”

She left and returned to the greenhouse, but Michael and Topher were nowhere in sight. Katt sat down on a bench nearby and sighed. 

There was a tap on the shoulder and she turned around to find Topher standing behind her. She smiled, “I was wondering where you went.”

“Ah I was getting something important. As a matter of fact...these are for you.” He said, handing her a bouquet of red and white roses. 

“Topher… they’re lovely. Are you sure you’re supposed to be picking the flowers though?”

He sat down next to her on the bench, “I’m sure it’s fine. How are you feeling?”

“Better, thanks for earlier.”

“Anything for you. By the way, did you come here earlier?”

She thought for a moment, then shook her head. “No, why?”

“Ah well I found your other necklace on the ground. It’s really lovely, who gave it to you?” He said, handing her back the necklace with the small blue gem.

“Ah it was from my parents. My sisters and I all got one…”

“Sisters?”

“Yeah… I had a twin but the Shadow killed them too.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He sighed. “So you were still close with Lukas?”

“Kind of. I told him I wasn’t really interested in him, so we were just friends. It still hurts to see him dead though…”

“Of course.” He said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure he’d want you to be happy.”

“I am.” She smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Michael smiled at the sight and left the two alone, heading into town. He walked around for a bit until he arrived at a small cafe, where Sapphire sat outside, a cup of coffee in her hands.

“Michael, always a pleasure to see you.”

“I agree. How are you doing?”

She shrugged, “Got a bit of a cold, but other than that, I’m fine. What brings you here?”

“You knew Lukas, right?”

“Of course. What about him?”

“He’s dead.”

She sighed, “Ha I kind of figured that was going to happen.”

“What do you mean?”

“Lukas was kind, to be honest, but sometimes he stuck his nose into other people’s business.”

“So you think someone killed him because he was being nosy?”

Sapphire nodded, “That would be my guess, yeah.”

“I see. Well thanks for your time, and I hope you get better soon.”

She nodded and he left, bumping into Sandra on the way back. She sighed, handing him a paper and he looked over it, his face dropping.

Michael walked back into the greenhouse, and Topher was nowhere in sight. He carefully approached Katt, clutching the paper tightly. 

“Where did Topher go?”

“Ah he went for a walk, said something about a headache.” She said, then noticed the paper in his hands. 

Katt grabbed it and Michael was caught off guard, “Katt wait!”

As she read over the paper, the mood in the air darkened. She crumpled the paper and stood up, tossing it to the ground. 

“I’ll be back in a bit.”

She walked for a few minutes until she managed to catch up with Topher. He smiled at her, “Oh, what are you-”

Katt grabbed his tie and pulled it harshly. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You killed him! Of all the people…”

“Katherine, please…”

“Tell me what’s going on, I want answers.” She snapped, something seemingly different about her.

He sighed, pulling a small envelope out of his pocket. “Earlier I got a letter and it told me to get rid of him.”

“And if you didn’t?”

“They were going to kill you… I couldn’t let that happen.”

She snatched the envelope from him, “And what’s this then?”

“I was told to give that to you. The Shadow said they wanted to meet you.”

Katt opened the envelope and read it over, then tore it to pieces. She glared at Topher and turned away, starting to walk back down the trail.

He started to follow and she didn’t bother to look back at him, “And what do you think you’re doing?”

“Going with you?”

She stopped, “I’m going alone, and that’s final.”

“But-”

“It’s final! Stay out of my business Darrenvage.”

“And if I don’t?” He asked.

She looked back at him, her eyes a dark grey. “Then it’ll be your funeral.”

He was stunned and she walked away without another word. Sighing he watched as she left, clutching a small ring close to his heart…


	8. A Shadow of a Doubt Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Shadow is finally unmasked

Katt approached the house, crumpling the paper in her hand. It was eerily quiet, and she walked up the steps. As she reached for the doorknob, she hesitated for a moment. Katt took a deep breath and opened the door, walking into the house. 

As she stepped in, the door softly closed behind her. She looked around, the house looked the same after all these years. Quietly, she walked into the living room, and looked over at a picture frame on the coffee table. 

Katt picked it up, looking over the family portrait, smiling to herself.

“I was beginning to think you’d never come.” A voice spoke from behind her.

She turned around quickly, and found Erica sitting in the kitchen, a cup of coffee in her hand. 

“And what are you doing here?” She snapped.

Erica nodded towards the picture, “You all looked so happy.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” Katt said, placing the picture back down onto the table. She then took a step towards her. “How did you get here?”

“The same as you, of course.”

“And what do you want from me?” Katt snapped.

“To talk.”

“About what?”

“I’m here to fix a couple of wrongs.” Erica smiled.

“Then tell me why you killed them!” Katt shouted. “This is all your fault!”

“I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.” Erica said, and scooted back in the chair. As she stood up, a knife grazed her cheek, then lodged into the wall behind her.

Erica wiped her cheek off, looking over at Katt. Their eyes met, and Erica took a slight step back. Katt smiled, “Get to talking, or else next time it’s straight through your heart.”

“Let’s make a deal. Give me your necklace first.”

Katt took off her necklace without hesitation and tossed it over to Erica. She looked it over, “I see it still has the crack.”

“Now start speaking.”

“Fine. I’m sure you know how SOMBRA loved to tell lies. They told me your parents were corrupt, and that they were going to experiment on their children. Considering that their job was researching human genetics, it was all too believable.”

“So you killed them. They’d never do such a thing like that.”

“I’m aware of that, yes. They wanted your parents out of the way so they could get access to you and your twin.” Erica sighed.

“Why us exactly?”

“SOMBRA was always fascinated with human genetics, and creating a super soldier of sorts. Who better to test on than the twins of two most famous human geneticists?”

“Just wait until the public finds out about this. Erica Ruvian, a murderer.”

Erica picked up the cup once more, taking a sip, “Mirage Nevixo, the woman who killed hundreds, if not thousands of innocent people.”

Katt tensed up, and the mood in the room darkened. “What did you just call me?”

She looked at Katt, and their eyes met. “You heard me. I don’t believe I’ve properly introduced myself yet.”

“And who are you then exactly?”

Erica smiled, her green eyes glimmered under the lights as she held out her hand. “Emma Lynn Nevixo, but I’d prefer if you called me Erica.”

Katt slapped her hand, “You…”

“Should be dead, I know. Yet another one of their lies.”

“You killed our parents! All of this is your fault!” Katt shouted.

“I was young and gullible. If I could take it all back, I would.” Erica calmly said.

Katt didn’t speak, and Erica noticed a tension in the room. She spoke once more, “We can fix this. Mom and dad made a machine to reverse time, and our necklaces are they key to start it.”

“Or you could die in the past, where you belong.” Katt said, taking a step forward. Erica was flung backwards and collided with the table. After a few moments, she sat up, wiping blood from her nose.

She looked up and Katt smiled, holding out a hand. “I don’t think I’ve introduced myself either.” Her grey eyes met Erica’s, and she spoke once more. “Azula Redd, nice to meet you.”

Erica scooted away a bit, and Azula smiled. “Aw is someone scared?”

“Katt… What are you doing?”

“Do you really think you can turn back time, and fix what you did?”

“Yes, I believe in it.”

Azula picked up her necklace off the ground, where Eria had dropped it. Without hesitation there was a crunch, and the remnants fell to the ground. 

Erica looked over in shock, “Why would you do that? It’s the only way to fix all this.”

“There is no fixing what has been done. It will all turn out the same, no matter what.”

“I was going to fix what happened this after all these years, and you just throw it away! Do you know how hard I worked to keep you safe?”

Azula stepped towards her, smiling. She put a hand on Erica’s cheek and chuckled, “I don’t care.”

Suddenly she pulled a small device out of Erica’s ear, looking it over. “An earpiece. How smart of you.”

She tossed it onto the ground, promptly stepping onto it. Before she could say another word, the door slammed open. Azula looked over as Topher rushed in, Michael following in pursuit. 

Before he could speak, Azula smiled and Topher fell to the ground. 

Michael rushed over to him, then looked up at her. “What did you do?”

“Relax, he’s just sleeping. Nice to see you again McKenzie.”

He stood up, taking a few steps forward. “I wish I could say the same. You shouldn’t be here.”

“Oh really? I’ve been here the whole time, yet you didn’t notice.”

“Then what are you doing back?”

She motioned over to Erica, “I’m just taking care of some unfinished business. Do you want to help?”

“No, I’m not killing anyone.”

“Funny coming from the man who’s already killed someone.”

“I didn’t have a choice, but you do!”

“Oh do I now?” She said, tilting her head. “Well if you won’t help me, then who will?”

“No one, because we aren’t killing her.”

Azula smiled, “I beg to differ. Darrenvage, if you don’t mind?”

Michael looked behind him to see Topher standing, his eyes glazed over. He held out a gun pointed it towards Erica. “Yes Azula?”

“You know what to do.”

Topher raised the gun, and a loud bang rang throughout the room. Michael sank to the ground, his gun clattering next to him. Topher snapped out of his daze, quickly catching Katt as she fell.

“I’m sorry…” Michael choked out the sentence, with tears in his eyes.

Topher looked down at Katt, his voice quiet as he spoke. “Katherine?”

She faintly smiled at him and pulled him downwards into a kiss. A few moments later her body went limp, and Topher held her even closer. 

He started to cry, his voice barely audible as he spoke.

“Not again…”


End file.
